Connie Mack: “the amendment I have offered simply clarifies the implementation of last year's immigration legislation in one specific…”

“the amendment I have offered simply clarifies the implementation of last year's immigration legislation in one specific area, the suspension of deportation. Last year's bill imposed stricter standards to obtain suspension of deportation. While this is fine for future applicants, it is unfair to impose new, harsher standards on cases which were already in the pipeline at the time of passage. This amendment does two specific things: first of all, it clarifies that certain Central American immigrants who were in the administrative pipeline for suspension of deportation must continue to meet the standards that applied before the immigration reform law took effect. Second, the annual cap on suspensions of deportation would only apply to cases commenced after April 1, 1997. Without those two changes, we will be changing the rules midstream for a group of people who were attempting to comply with the guidelines for regularizing their immigration status. We encouraged them to come forward and play by the rules and we cannot go back on our word now.”